Majority of voters back coalition government, poll shows

A majority of voters approve of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition
Government, including more than two-thirds of supporters of each of the
parties involved, according to a poll.

6:30AM BST 25 May 2010

But the ICM survey for The Guardian suggested that Lib Dems have suffered some damage from going into coalition with their Tory rivals, with almost one-fifth of those who voted for Nick Clegg's party in this month's General Election saying they might be less likely to do so in future.

The Lib Dems dropped three points since the May 6 election to 21%, with Labour up two points on 32% and Conservatives up two to 39%.

The poll - conducted before today's announcement of £6.2 billion cuts in state spending - found 59% of voters approved of the decision to form a coalition, with 32% opposed.

The coalition was backed by 81% of Conservative voters, while 16% opposed it. Liberal Democrats were slightly less keen, with 69% in favour and 26% against. Some 51% of Labour voters opposed the coalition deal, while 40% approved of it.

The survey, carried out after the coalition Government published its constitutional reform agenda last week, found a majority (56%) backing a more proportional voting system for Westminster elections, even if it means more hung parliaments.

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Voting reform was backed by 76% of Lib Dem supporters and 55% of Labour voters. But support for first-past-the-post was higher among Conservative voters, some 49% of whom said Britain should stick with the existing system, against 45% who wanted change.

:: ICM Research interviewed 1,001 adults between May 21 and 23 for The Guardian.